


What Should Be

by supernutjapan



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Other, family love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 13:04:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12984672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supernutjapan/pseuds/supernutjapan
Summary: Mid-season 12Mary is having trouble dealing with being back from heaven and has put space between her and the boys.Sam and Dean come home to the bunker after a hunt, which just happens to be on Christmas Eve, and find a surprise waiting for them.





	What Should Be

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilery of Season 12.  
> I wrote this in 2016, but thought it might be a good time to include it here as well.  
> Wishing you all a Very Merry Supernatural Christmas.

The doors of the Impala had never seemed so heavy as the brothers pushed them open simultaneously in the quiet of the bunker basement. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises, and they felt every one of them as they bent over the trunk and flung their bags over their shoulders. They walked up the stairwell toward the main level, the sound of their footsteps and their heavy breathing echoing around them in the stairwell, until Sam broke the silence with a grunt.

“This emergency Cas was talking about better be good. I don’t think I’m up for any more strenuous activity for a while.”

“I don’t know, man, he wouldn’t say anything specific but at least he’ll heal us first, whatever it is,” Dean puffed.

As they got to the main floor and shuffled towards the library, they heard the sound of running feet that grew louder until finally Cas appeared at the corner of the hall in front of them.

“Sam! Dean!” As he reached them, Cas turned quickly toward Sam, touching his forehead and healing him instantly of his wounds and exhaustion, then turned to Dean to do the same. “I’m sorry I couldn’t go and heal you sooner. I was being kept busy.”

“What the hell is the emergency?” Dean asked, feeling much better, but wary of what Cas had in store for them. “And who was keeping you busy?”

“You will have to go and see for yourself.”

Sam and Dean looked at each other, then quickly stepped around Cas and headed for the library.

Opening the double doors together, they gaped in wonder at the sight before them.

Glittering red and gold garlands wound their way around the room, fir branches and ribbons decorated the pillars, and in the middle of the room a huge Christmas tree almost touched the ceiling, it’s warm lights blinking invitingly among the glass baubles, Santas, snowmen, stars and other ornaments. At the top of the tree, looking out of place among all the glitter, was a simply sewn little man-doll wearing what seemed to be a trench coat. It was a curious article that, even from below, did not look like a brilliant piece of work by any means.

Eyebrow cocked, Dean pointed at the angel and turned to Sam, “Well, I’m pretty sure no Djinn could have thought of something like that.”

“Ah, Yeah…” Sam breathed.

Behind the tree, two tables had been brought together and covered with a full Christmas feast; a huge turkey, cranberries, creamed potatoes, a variety of vegetable dishes that looked appetizing even to Dean, and warmed rolls peeking out of their cloth covering. On another table were several different pies and cakes.

“It’s heaven, isn’t it? We died somehow on that hunt.” said Dean.

As they stood, mouths watering from the wafting scents, wondering how they had stepped into this dream world, they heard a voice behind them.

“No, not Heaven, but I couldn’t have done it without your guardian angel.”

They both turned at the voice.

“Mom…”

She stood there smiling shyly at them.

“Who better to spend Christmas with than family, right? I realized it was high time I stopped pining for what is waiting for me up there and enjoy what I do have now, down here, and that includes two beautiful men that I am proud to call my sons. And you. You deserve a proper Christmas after all these years.”

Mary looked down and brushed a non-existent speck off of her woolen skirt with band-aid ridden fingers and then grinned up at them.

In two giant strides, Sam was at her side and enveloping her in his long arms.

“We are so happy to have you back.” Sam said softly.

Mary closed her eyes as she accepted the hug, then looked at Dean, standing behind with shimmering eyes and a small hopeful smile. Mary laid her hand softly on Sam’s cheek and smiled up at him, then stepped over to Dean and wrapped her arms slowly around his waist.

“I’m here to stay if you’ll have me.” She mumbled half into his chest.

Dean closed his eyes and sighed as he leaned into her, then pulled away and grinned at her and Sam.

“You kidding? You had me convinced at the first sight of pie.”

 

Postscript:

_Cas stood invisible among the decorated pillars and thought back to the many talks he had had with Mary as she struggled to find herself away from her boys. The talks had mostly been about how Dean and Sam had accepted him, first as a friend, and then as family. How they had given him the courage to stand up for humanity, and even when he made the terrible, awful mistake of trying to be god and even hurting them directly by breaking Sam’s wall, they had accepted him back. They’d taught him that family was there through the good, bad, all of it. That they had your back, even when it hurt._

_He had told Mary everything, hoping that she would see that she had nothing to fear of what they would think of her - it didn’t matter that she had thrown them into the life by making a demon deal, or that she had been dead and gone for most of their lives._

_Mary had been the one to tentatively suggest that she would go back at Christmas, and thus the preparations had begun. He didn’t know that Mary had been secretly making that little doll for the tree though, and knowing the work she must have put into the little gesture, he was touched and gratified._

_He focused his attention on the family again as they ate. Sam groaned as he took a bite of the luscious, free range heritage turkey from a local farm that Cas himself had baked (thoroughly examining and comforting the turkey before slaughtering), Dean stuffed his mouth with a sandwich constructed with the turkey and salad in one of the warmed rolls, and Mary's eyes twinkled merrily as she watched her sons._

_The moment etched to his memory, he left without a sound._


End file.
